Po Lazarus
James Carter and The Prisoners Lyrics


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Well, the high sheriff
He told his deputy
Want you go out and bring me Lazarus
Well, the high sheriff
Told his deputy
I want you go out and bring me Lazarus
Bring him dead or alive
Lawd, Lawd
Bring him dead or alive
Well the deputy he told the high sheriff
I ain't gonna mess with Lazarus
Well the deputy he told the high sheriff
Says I ain't gonna mess with Lazarus
Well he's a dangerous man
Lawd, Lawd

He's a dangerous man
Well then the high sheriff, he found Lazarus
He was hidin' in the chill of a mountain
Well the high sheriff, found Lazarus
He was hidin' in the chill of the mountain
With his head hung down
Lawd, Lawd
With his head hung down
Well then the high sheriff, he told Lazarus
He says Lazarus I come to arrest you
Well the high sheriff, told Lazarus
Says Lazarus I come to arrest you
And bring ya dead or alive
Lawd, Lawd

Bring you dead or alive
Well then Lazarus, he told the high sheriff
Says I never been arrested
Well Lazarus, told the high sheriff
Says I never been arrested
By no one man
Lawd, Lawd
By no one man
And then the high sheriff, he shot Lazarus
Well, he shot him mighty big number
Well the high sheriff, shot Lazarus

Well he shot him with a mighty big number
With a forty five
Lawd, Lawd
With a forty five
Well then they take old Lazarus
Yes they laid him on the commissary gallery
Well they taken poor Lazarus
And the laid him on the commissary gallery
He said my wounded side




Lawd, Lawd
My wounded side

Overall Meaning

In the song "Po Lazarus," sung by James Carter and the Prisoners, the high sheriff commands his deputy to bring him a man named Lazarus, either dead or alive. The deputy is hesitant, warning that Lazarus is a dangerous man who shouldn't be messed with. Eventually, the high sheriff finds Lazarus hiding in the mountain and tells him that he has come to arrest him, dead or alive. Lazarus responds that he has never been arrested by any one man before, to which the high sheriff shoots him with a forty-five. The song ends with Lazarus lying wounded and saying, "My wounded side."


The song tells the story of a man who refuses to be controlled by the law and authority figures. The repeated use of "Lawd, Lawd" emphasizes the religious undertones of the song and the idea of seeking redemption. The character of Lazarus represents the oppressed and marginalized in society who face injustice at the hands of those in power. The high sheriff's pursuit of Lazarus and his willingness to use lethal force illustrate the unjust power dynamics in the society and the harsh consequences of resisting authority.


Line by Line Meaning

Well, the high sheriff
The person in charge of the law enforcement


He told his deputy
The high sheriff instructed his assistant


Want you go out and bring me Lazarus
The high sheriff ordered his deputy to find Lazarus


Bring him dead or alive
The high sheriff demanded Lazarus to be brought back, no matter what state he's in


Lawd, Lawd
An expression of exclamation and lamentation


Well the deputy he told the high sheriff
The assistant informed the high sheriff of his decision


I ain't gonna mess with Lazarus
The deputy refused to deal with Lazarus


He's a dangerous man
The deputy described Lazarus as a threat


Well then the high sheriff, he found Lazarus
The high sheriff located Lazarus


He was hidin' in the chill of a mountain
Lazarus was concealed in the coolness of a mountain


With his head hung down
Lazarus was feeling despondent


Well then the high sheriff, he told Lazarus
The high sheriff informed Lazarus of his intention


He says Lazarus I come to arrest you
The high sheriff declared his purpose to arrest Lazarus


And bring ya dead or alive
The high sheriff reiterated that Lazarus would be captured regardless of his condition


Well then Lazarus, he told the high sheriff
Lazarus responded to the high sheriff


Says I never been arrested
Lazarus claimed that he never experienced arrest before


By no one man
Lazarus emphasized that no one man ever caught him before


Well then the high sheriff, he shot Lazarus
The high sheriff shot Lazarus


Well he shot him with a mighty big number
The high sheriff used a very powerful weapon against Lazarus


With a forty five
The high sheriff wielded a .45 caliber gun


Well then they take old Lazarus
Lazarus was taken by the authorities


And the laid him on the commissary gallery
Lazarus was placed on display at the commissary gallery


He said my wounded side
Lazarus complained about his injury




Lyrics © PEER MUSIC,
Written by: Jimmie Davis

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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Most interesting comment from YouTube:

@omerrudnick8195

Lyrics:
Well, the high sheriff
He told his deputy
Want you go out and bring me Lazarus
Well, the high sheriff
Told his deputy
I want you go out and bring me Lazarus
Bring him dead or alive,
Lawd, Lawd
Bring him dead or alive
Well the deputy he told the high sheriff
I ain't gonna mess with Lazarus
Well the deputy he told the high sheriff
Says I ain't gonna mess with Lazarus
Well he's a dangerous man
Lawd, Lawd
He's a dangerous man
Well then the high sheriff, he found Lazarus
He was hidin' in the chill of a mountain
Well the high sheriff, found Lazarus
He was hidin' in the chill of the mountain
With his head hung down
Lawd, Lawd
With his head hung down
Well then the high sheriff, he told Lazarus
He says Lazarus I come to arrest you
Well the high sheriff, told Lazarus
Says Lazarus I come to arrest you
And bring ya dead or alive
Lawd, Lawd
Bring you dead or alive
Well then Lazarus, he told the high sheriff
Says I never been arrested
Well Lazarus, told the high sheriff
Says I never been arrested
By no one man
Lawd, Lawd
By no one man
And then the high sheriff, he shot Lazarus
Well, he shot him mighty big number
Well the high sheriff, shot Lazarus
Well he shot him with a mighty big number
With a forty five
Lawd, Lawd
With a forty five
Well then they take old Lazarus
Yes they laid him on the commissary gallery
Well they taken poor Lazarus
And the laid him on the commissary gallery
He said my wounded side
Lawd, Lawd
My wounded side



All comments from YouTube:

@omerrudnick8195

Lyrics:
Well, the high sheriff
He told his deputy
Want you go out and bring me Lazarus
Well, the high sheriff
Told his deputy
I want you go out and bring me Lazarus
Bring him dead or alive,
Lawd, Lawd
Bring him dead or alive
Well the deputy he told the high sheriff
I ain't gonna mess with Lazarus
Well the deputy he told the high sheriff
Says I ain't gonna mess with Lazarus
Well he's a dangerous man
Lawd, Lawd
He's a dangerous man
Well then the high sheriff, he found Lazarus
He was hidin' in the chill of a mountain
Well the high sheriff, found Lazarus
He was hidin' in the chill of the mountain
With his head hung down
Lawd, Lawd
With his head hung down
Well then the high sheriff, he told Lazarus
He says Lazarus I come to arrest you
Well the high sheriff, told Lazarus
Says Lazarus I come to arrest you
And bring ya dead or alive
Lawd, Lawd
Bring you dead or alive
Well then Lazarus, he told the high sheriff
Says I never been arrested
Well Lazarus, told the high sheriff
Says I never been arrested
By no one man
Lawd, Lawd
By no one man
And then the high sheriff, he shot Lazarus
Well, he shot him mighty big number
Well the high sheriff, shot Lazarus
Well he shot him with a mighty big number
With a forty five
Lawd, Lawd
With a forty five
Well then they take old Lazarus
Yes they laid him on the commissary gallery
Well they taken poor Lazarus
And the laid him on the commissary gallery
He said my wounded side
Lawd, Lawd
My wounded side

@vicorochavidal535

genial gracias

@mareks1261

Dzięki!

@hectorpaezescamez5817

La letra es acojonante!!!! ✌🏼

@rstone3353

Ain't much changed for Black folk, really!
Same thing now just a different day!

@miltonfelix6030

Thanks a lot.

2 More Replies...

@ThaMadvonnie84

This song actually made me watch the movie to be honest. This song grips my soul.

@rickybrewerii572

I can dig it

@MrDark097

Chico Green which movie dude?

@bgodssoldier1

Danniel collado " o'brother where art thou"

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